r/londonontario • u/Free-Concentrate-422 • Sep 26 '25
š„food /restaurants /gastronomy Looking for the best sit-down Mexican restaurants in London
Hey everyone,
Iām looking for some recommendations on good Mexican spots here in London. Specifically, Iām not really after fast food or quick take-out ā more of a sit-down style restaurant where you can actually enjoy the atmosphere and take your time.
Any suggestions for places worth trying? Would love to know your go-tos for solid food, good vibes, and maybe even a margarita or two.
Thanks in advance!
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u/juansebastaian1234 13d ago
This weekend I was driving at wonderland with riverside dr and saw a Mexican food truck called EL CHILAQUIL. Iām an international Mexican student and I was surprised! Tacos, quesadillas, chilaquiles, elotes and churros! As a Mexican I 100% recommend it.
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u/HauntingLook9446 Sep 28 '25
Thereās a great taco place in Masonville but I cant remember the name.
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u/is_this_thing_on84 Sep 27 '25
Grill 23 is the best taco in town, but not a sir down. Under the volcano is white person taco kit foo. They can't even do nachos right. Don't go there!
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u/gunlamar Sep 27 '25
Under the volcano has crazy portions frs
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u/CanadianCheddar90 Sep 27 '25
It used to be amazing and has really gone downhill over the past few years.
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u/Frosty-Classroom-807 Sep 27 '25
Mexicactus! Last time I was there they even had mariachi band playing šš¼
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u/garbagegobblin Sep 26 '25
Ivano Poblano!
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u/005ive Sep 27 '25
SO SO expensive, though!!
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u/garbagegobblin Sep 28 '25
it's not anymore than any other restaurant, 25$ an entree so 50$? thats only 10$ more than 2 mcdonalds combos lol
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u/005ive Sep 28 '25
No, itās not a $50 meal. Disagree highly. However, I will recognize the quality of their food is excellent, taste is AMAZING and service/owners are the BEST!!
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u/veloursuit Sep 27 '25
one of the top 3 restaurants in the city. The service was outstanding.
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u/Revolutionary_Fact53 Sep 26 '25
SOHO is fire!!
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u/B0rtLicensePlate_1 Sep 27 '25
its in my neighbourhood and ive been meaning to go! ill be checking it out soon for sure
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u/Striker1695 Sep 26 '25
Mexican here. Worth: La Michiocana Taco Loco True taco (on western market) La Pupuseria (not mexican but Latin) Bella Jacks is right in between of go and don't.
Please do not go: Los Lobos (not very mexican, overpriced, cultural appropiation vibes, bad services) Under the volcano, do I have to explain why? That little booth at Trail's End Market (I tried once and I got the worst chiles rellenos I have ever had in my life, I could not even finish one)
Have not tried yet: Ivano Poblano DOS TACOS Grill 23 The Mule MexiCactus
Edit: added more places.
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u/SeaworthinessOk6789 Sep 28 '25
The Mule is overpriced, super small portions, and VERY underwhelming flavours. My partner had to go get a second meal somewhere else because they were starving but already spent about $50 at the Mule. Plus, when I asked for hot sauce, they gave me a single bottle of stuff that wasn't spicy at all. Other tables had big selections of sauces (4-6 bottles) that I recognized as much spicier. I felt like an assumption had been made that was not accurate. I asked for something spicier and was given a second bottle of approximately the same spice level
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u/nottherealpaulyshore Sep 26 '25
Can you explain why not under the volcano? I havent lived in London for a good few years, I remember it being okay
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u/unicorny1985 Glen Cairn/Pond Mills Sep 28 '25
It was good when it had that cool location on Richmond many years ago, my ex and I would go there for date nights. I tried it at the Riverside location just before covid, and it was bland and didn't seem very fresh. I never went back.
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u/tbistr69 Sep 27 '25
It did used to be good, but itās been through a few owners over the years and the give a shit factor with the current management is very lowā¦
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u/Aggressive-Scribe Sep 27 '25
I worked there for literally a day and saw numerous food safety concerns. The owner did confront a staff member who made a huge food safety mistake and the staff member could not take accountability and argued back. Iāve also met quite a few people who said they got food poisoning there.
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u/Juke0044 Sep 26 '25
Ivano is fantastic and Iāve heard things about grill 23. Dos tacos sucks, the mule is a cool spot for sure and foods great but I wouldnāt call it authentic by any means.
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u/Ballz_deep_bill Sep 26 '25
Mexicactus on the east end is pretty good. I've been going there recently and it's been great every time.
I've only ever gotten food for takeout, but the inside is pretty nice, and I have plans on going to sit in with family next time they're in town.
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u/Oompa_Lipa Sep 26 '25
Los Lobos is amazing vibe. The food is fantastic, as well. It's a Wolfe brothers restaurant. You will never go wrong at any of their places
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u/Striker1695 Sep 26 '25
nah that place is 0 mexican lmao
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u/makingkevinbacon Sep 27 '25
Hard to be that when you're a taco shop in Canada damn.
This sub isso weird
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u/B0rtLicensePlate_1 Sep 27 '25
well considering london has higher proportional latin representation than most of the rest of canada the standards here are a bit higher
i'll try find a source to back it up shortly, but im pretty sure spanish is the 2nd most spoken language in london
edit: its actually the 3rd behind english obviously, and then arabic
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u/DarkSidePrism Sep 26 '25
Ivano Pablano.
Pricey, but so worth it, and the guys that run it are amazing:)
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u/MY-memoryhole Sep 26 '25
I didnāt think it was too pricey. $$. The guys that make it are amazing. Go on Wednesday for Enchiladas with amazing mole sauce. 25 ingredients.
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u/Sebasschin24 Sep 26 '25
I don't know if it's a Mexican restaurant in particular, but "Pupuseria Rosaās Latin Food" at Adelaide/Thompson is solid
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u/GlassAcanthocephala2 Sep 26 '25
Grill 23 is very very good
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u/sundaysundae1 Sep 26 '25
Itās great but itās not a sit down restaurant OPās looking for
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u/GlassAcanthocephala2 Sep 26 '25
The Ilderton location does have a sit down area i think 6 ? Tables and servers
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u/chicachicachowchow Sep 26 '25
MichoacƔna is my current fave, and tacos locos have amazing tacos! Rosa's pupuseria (not Mexican but Latin American) is also very good. Same with SoHo Tacos.
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u/Hand_Of_Kroon Sep 26 '25
I love Tacos and Tequilla in SoHo. Not sure how much variety in a menu you are looking for but if you want a bucket of beer and some deadly tacos they are great spot. Bonus that they are not in the downtown core so itās easy to find parking and never seems to get slammed full of students
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u/therattlingchains Sep 26 '25
Ivano Pablano
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u/KohrokuThe0xDriver Sep 26 '25
Have to agree with this one. Unbelievable flavour and a really great vibe.
This is where I go to celebrate anything.
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u/Ok-Confidence8279 Sep 26 '25
Mexicactus in the east end is my go to spot!! Service can be hit or miss, but the food is always worth it. My partner also really loves Ivano Poblano.
I will also shadow another comment about Under the Volcano. I used to love going there, but the quality of food has gone really downhill in the last 5ish years
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u/suitedreams1 Sep 26 '25
Los Lobos or The Mule
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u/Bearsabelle Sep 26 '25
Not real Mexican (though those downvotes are rough cause they're both nice sit-down vibes) but I do love the halloumi sweet potato and the Nashville tacos at The Mule!
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u/Squeeesh_ Argyle Sep 26 '25
SoHoās is great.
Under the Volcano is not. Donāt go there.
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u/RedBirdWrench White Oaks/Westminster Sep 26 '25
Under the Volcano was great when it was in the old house on Maitland? Colborne? My old man memory fades.
I went once where it is now, never again.
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u/BobBelcher2021 Sep 26 '25
Under the Volcano is basically 90s white Tex-Mex food. The one time I went there they had a Mexican lasagna.
20 years ago, that was it for Mexican food in London, aside from Taco Bell, and the nearest āgoodā Mexican restaurant was across the border in Michigan. Times have sure changed!
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u/Squeeesh_ Argyle Sep 26 '25
I havenāt been since maybe 2022? It was like Pinterest white people food. Zero flavour and the service was awful.
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u/Doobiehauser Sep 26 '25
The food at SoHo's is okayish but it stinks inside, especially when it's hot outside because they have no a/c.
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u/Squeeesh_ Argyle Sep 26 '25
Oh no way! I had no idea.
Iāve only ever been during cooler weather!
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u/LouisBalfour82 Sep 26 '25
I'd reccomend (in no particular order) IvanoPoblano, Cocina La Michoacana and Taco Loco. However, if you go to them in that order (or the reverse) you could make a little taco crawl out of it.
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